In 1967 a group of Buick owners mostly owning immediately post-war Buicks, got together and placed an advertisement in the "Age" newspaper (Melbourne, Australia) to attract like minded owners.
Buick parts were becoming very scarce and the remaining stocks were being monopolised by some individuals. The idea was to form a one-make car club with the initial purpose of providing a means by which owners could exchange knowledge and parts for their road cars which were beginning to show their age.
Clyde Chandler was the President of the Governing Council of Cat Fancy Society of Victoria and Australia, Clyde held meetings for judges in the "Nokomis Hall" which was at the rear of the home of Mrs Nell Moloney in Oakleigh (the hall was named after a stud breeding cat called "Nokomis", the hall was the old tennis club rooms) after the meetings of the governing council the discussion turned to Buicks.
The Nokomis Hall, Logie Court, Oakleigh was arranged for a meeting, the Inaugural meeting was held on Saturday, 18th of March, 1967 and quite a few people attended.
Click here to view the minutes of the Inaugural Meeting.
The eight interested people present and three apologies were recognised as foundation members.
Foundation Members being :
Clyde Chandler was appointed chairman and it was decided to advertise again and have a further meeting at the same venue.
A subcommittee / steering committee consisting of R Carmichael, B Dean, G Davis and C Chandler was formed to draw up a constitution and rules for presentation at the next meeting. The steering committee met at Clyde Chandlers home in Camberwell, where the constitution was drawn up using examples from the Vintage Drivers Club and The Rolls Royce Club.
The first General Meeting of "The Buick Car Club" was held at the Nokomis Hall, Logie Crt, Oakliegh on the 15th April 1967.
Click here to view the minutes of the First General Meeting.
First Social Event
The first outing of the Buick Car Club was on Sunday, 11th of June 1967 and the destination was the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary.
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The Buick Car Club Workshop
Clyde Chandler moved home to 42 Barkers Rd, Hawthorn. At the rear of this property was a large shed with an area of 1500 square feet. This shed became the Buick Car Club "Workshop". Access was from a lane at the rear of 42 Barkers Rd and on any Saturday or Sunday a range of Buicks would be parked in and near the laneway and club members would be working on members Buicks or stripping cars that had been given to the club. Spares were been cataloged and stored. At any time there would be up to 10 cars in the "Workshop" plus spares. Mr Jack Pinner was the Workshop Supervisor and Technical Advisor.
The Workshop at the rear of 42 Barkers Rd, Hawthorn - 2005
Meetings
September 1967, the meeting place of "The Buick Car Club" was moved to the Congregational Church Hall, corner Kent and Burnley Street in North Richmond.
The Congregational Church, Richmond. 2004
The Melbourne International Motor Show
The Melbourne International Motor Show, held during April of 1968 at the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Carlton, The Buick Car Club of Australia displayed a number of members cars and the club restored 1923 Buick Chassis. The show ran for 10 days with members and their families manning the stand, talking to prospective members and handing out club leaflets. The leaflets were also given to members to place under the wiper of any Buick seen in the street, to encourage more membership.
Buick Car Club of Australia ~ 1968 Information Leaflet
The Melbourne International Motor Show 1968 - Buick Car Club of Australia Display
The Buick Car Club again in 1969 attended the International Motor Show, achieving more success in locating Buick parts and whole cars, whilst displaying a fine range of Buick automobiles. 1969 was a year of firsts with the club holding its first "autokana" and a dinner dance at the Matthew Flinders Hotel in Chadstone.
Social Events
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Buick Concours D' Elegance
The Buick Car Club of Australia held its first Concours D' Elegance, held at Willsmere Park, Kew on the 12th April 1970
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Cherokee Parts Shed
Over the years the Buick Car Club of Australia had collected a considerable inventory of Buick spare parts for most years and models. The spare parts stock received a major boost with the generous donation by foundation member, Mr Gerd Kratzer. A large amount of NOS parts were purchased from well known Melbourne business, Jacobs Spring Works of Oakleigh and donated to the club .
In November 1970, the shed at the rear of Clyde Chandler's home was no longer available to the Buick Car Club to work on and store Buick Parts. A concerted effort by club members in November of that year saw the club spares moved to alternative storage. The alternative been the homes of many club members.
1974 and the Buick Car Club started to investigate the possibility of a storage shed for the clubs parts, there was discussion of leasing vacant railways property to strip old cars and store parts. Thoughts also turned to buying old enclosed truck bodies to store parts in, of course where to place these bodies was still a problem.
July 1974, a steel garage, donated by member Geoff Hilliard, was erected on Gordon Cooper's property at Cherokee near Mt Macedon, North/ West of Melbourne. The garage was completed by November 1974. Some of the club parts were already being stored at Gordon's property and the remainder of the club parts were moved to Cherokee by February 1975.
Buick Car Club member Gordon Cooper owned some rare and unusual Buicks.
1916 Buick - 6 Cyl Tourer______1940 Buick Limited, used by Australian Prime Minister - Ben Chifley________1940 Buick Ute/ Pickup____
During the late 1970"s and early 1980's the clubs search for parts was not at the same level as the early years of the club. Even so, the Buick Car Club of Australia had an impressive collection of parts, including a NOS engine block which the club had purchased from Anderson and Roberts Garage of Collingwood. (this was a gold mine of Veteran and Vintage Buick Parts).
February 16th 1983, Ash Wednesday Bushfires, tragedy struck the Buick Car Club, Gordon and Pat Cooper and most of Southern Victoria. After years of exceptional drought, massive wildfires engulfed vast areas of southern Victoria, wiping out entire communities and killing over 70 people. Gordon Coopers property was not spared, Gordon's wife Pat single handily fought the fire and kept it from the house. It came to within a metre of their back door. Nothing else on the property was saved including Gordon's collection of Veteran cars, including all of his Buicks and the Buick Car Club spare parts shed.
Notable Buicks of the Buick Car Club of Australia
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Office Bearers & Life Members
____ Life Member
Life Members:
Brian Dean
Peter Pinner
Norm Bradford
Neville Brooks
Honorary Life Member:
Gerd Kratzer
_____ President
President of The Buick Car Club (Vic): 1967 to Present…..
1967 ~ 1970 - Clyde Chandler
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1970 ~ 1971 - Norm Bradford
1971 ~ 1973 - Wal Francombe
1973 ~ 1975 - Robert Baxter
1975 ~ 1977 - Jack Pinner †
1977 ~ 1978 - Gary Rowland
1978 ~ 1981 - Jack Pinner †
1981 ~ 1984 - Alan Firns
1984 ~ 1987 - Barry Pitman
1987 ~ 1990 - Neville Brooks
1990 ~ 1993 - Norm Bradford
1993 ~ 1996 - Max Grant †
1996 ~ 1999 - Neville Brooks
1999 ~ 2002 - Brian Flynn
2002 ~ 2005 - Simon Fraser
2005 ~ current - Jack Moran
_____ Secretary
Secretary of the Buick Car Club (Vic) 1967 to Present......
1967 ~ 1967 - Robert Carmichael
1967 ~ 1968 - Graeme Davis
1968 ~ 1975 - Jack Pinner †
1975 ~ 1975 - Laurie Surgey
1975 ~ Current - Peter Pinner
Meeting Places of the Buick Car Club of Australia 1967 to Present
March 1967
Nokomis Hall, rear of 8 Atkinson Street, Oakliegh
September 1967 ~ 1990
Congregational Church Hall, corner Kent and Burnley Street, North Richmond.
1990 ~ 1996
South Camberwell Tennis Club, Burke Road, Sth Camberwell
1996 ~ 2006
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Vintage Drivers Club, 6 Dorset Road, Pascoe Vale
Thanks to Mr B Dean, Mr R Carmichael & Mr P Pinner for assistance with this page.
